The invention relates to improvements in cable installation and particularly, but not exclusively, to the installation of fire resistant cables.
United Kingdom regulations and standards for fire resistant cable installations require that the cable is fixed to building structures by metallic fixings that maintain their support during a fire. Currently, such cables are installed using a P-shaped metallic clip, which is fitted around the cable and then screwed to the building structure. Typically, one screw is used and is screwed into a pre-drilled hole, which may have to be plugged to accept the screw. If two cables are to be installed side-by-side, an extended U-shaped clip may be used. Such clips are usually secured by means of two screws, one on each side of the cables. As with the P-shaped clip, the clip is fitted around the cables and is then secured to the building structure by means of the two screws.
The typical spacing between fixings in a fire resistant cable installation is 300 mm. With this spacing, to install 100 m of cable, over 330 fixings are required. It is estimated that it would take approximately 24 hours to install 330 conventional P-shaped fixings. This adds to the cost of installing cabling. A further disadvantage of installing cabling using known clips is that the clip must be fitted around the cable before being secured to the building structure and the installer has to hold the clip in place and provide support for the cable while screwing the screw(s) into its (their) hole(s). This makes installation more awkward and time consuming.
An object of the invention is to at least partially alleviate one or both of these problems and/or at least provide an alternative to existing practice.